The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-29
Special to the Indianapolis Journai.


New YORK. May 28-The fashionable and
wealthy New York girl is always something in
particular, but she rarely remains that thing
more than ten or fifteen days. She devotes her
self resoluteIy to diversion and she sport
up quickly. just now she is making life lively
for fast horses of the road. in saddle and vehicle.
The pleasures of indoors have become unsea-
sonable; the field emplcyments are not yet ar
rived and so there is an interval to be filled by
driving the trotters and gallopers. The new
feature of fun wheels is that bellies sit along
side their husbands, brothers and fathers in
what are called road wagons. Heretofore
the exclusively elegant creatures might ride
out in any style of carriage that had a
coachman to it. but exquisite usage forbade
them to sit in the open, light wagon long
coupled with the incidental races of the uptown
thoroughfares. For example, lady of the
Bonner family was ever seen seated with Robert
Bonner in such wagon behind his famous
horses was the late Commodore William
III. Vanderbilt vouchsafed the company of wife
daughter in his road-driving. The present
May has brought radical change. It is still
socially criminal for a maiden to drive with o
man, but feminine relative of the owner of fast
horses is permitted to rub elbows with him
while he holds the reins over his equine
prides. Only yesterday, in Central Park.
I saw brash sort of equipage
roll up to Mount Saint Vincent. Two
rich brown horses were hitched by scant and
plain harness to square bowed, one-seated
wagon in which sat a youngiSh with
slight mustache aud incipiens side -whiskers,
while at his side snueged stylish woman in
dark gray from hat to hem. The horses were the
famous Alline and Early Rose, which William
II. Vanderbilt used to drive The man
Frederick w Vanderbilt, heir TO of Bills
millions and these pets. The woman was his
sister-in-aw, Mrs. William K Vanderbilt. She
was leading the brand new fad of riding out with
the owning drivers of fast naes. It must be ad-
mitted that the mode cannot become very gen.
eral
A scarlet parasol on top of a coach, GRIM
son parasol course bloom out and
light up the landscape. but a red parasol is a
glaring nuisance on the street, and especially on
those avenues where building and blasting is in
operation. Over on the ST. Nicholas boulevard,
this same afternoon. procession OF carriages
wound merrily along. when suddenly the oinin-
ous waving Of the red flag. that usually indi-
Gates an impendinging explosion amid the neigh
boring rocks, appeared some distance down the
road. The first team driven by short-sighted
old sport, halted, and he held up warning
hand. Five carriages stopped-ten, twenty.
forty eighty. a hundred and sixty. You know
how they multiply. Then they waited in
a mass No explosion. Another wait
Still waved the cautionary signal. Finally,
some of the whips grew desperate One man
ventured a little in advance OF the short-sighted
party and shouted, why in thunder don't you
let er gop Presently, all SAW the flag ap-
preaching. Something dreadful expected
to occur. A good many got ready to turn round
and seek the safety of distance. There. the red
flag began to resume different shape. On she
bore and what was it that had stopped all carri-
ages for ten minues but blamed red parasol.
Two girls had been talking down by the steam
drills, aud if their conversation had been moro
now, perhaps
The spectacular in driving is furnished by the
New York and Pelham amateur coach, which
runs daily between Madison-square and the
Country Club. It is conducted ostensibly like
regular transportation company. for the benefit
of any who choose that mode of conveyance be-
tween the city and Pelham and intervening
points. In reality it is restricted to carrying
Questionable people, for the stray passenger
who should wish TO engage place
on the box would find that all
places had been taken for weeks
ahead Patrons of the institution make up little
parties among themselves. limiting the number
in each case to just enough to occupy all the de-
sirable seats in the coach. The best part of the
show is the start was just turning into Fifth
avenue yesterday when heard the mellow toots
of the bugle announcing the coming of the
coach. Presently it came into view around the
corner of Twenty-sxth strees. Il is gorgeous
- all ,I-ua alfn fair NV fnur hand
some horses. The driver in the reguia-
tion coaching livery, green coat. crimson vest.
light brown trousers tall, white hat and
top boots, fiourshed long whip as he reinsd
the horses up to the curb in front of the hotel
entrance The guard. similarly attired, sat at
the hack, with his long. straight horn at bis lips.
blowing the harmonics in rapid succession and
with charming ease. Several young and elderly
ladies and gentlemen came from the hotel to the
sidewalk, and hundred or two passers stopped
to watch the operation of getting on. The driver
and guard diSmounted. the first going to the
heads of the rear span of horses. where he re-
mained standing pcturesquely holding the check
rein. A uniformed bell-boy came from the hotel
and formed a similar tableau at the heads of the
front span. The guard went into the hotel Office.
presumably to get the manifest of his cargo.
When be came out he opened the door of the
coach and produced an iron step ladder. with
hook OF the end. which he caught into the for
ward step o7er the wheel. allowing the other end
meanwhile earnestly debating the relative
positions they could occupy the
coach top for none of them. of course. purposed
to sit inside the coach; they could not be
there The guard waited patiently by the lad
der for decision this important point FL
nally an elderly lady said that she would sit
the front seat If so-ana-so wonld. She went to
the ladder. looked up at the high box. shut her
lips together determinedly. erasping her skirts
with the left hand TO get them away from her
feet seized the handle of the step with the right
and began to climb She had been on coach
before and knew the way, for after mounting
two steps she let go her skirts. and assisted her
self with both hands in getting to the top. Her
skirts were looked after her elderly escort
and the guard. although the guard amply
competent TO do that alone. He held them from
her feet in front with his left hand. and with his
right pushed them MP and held them down from
behind, that minimum os ankle was exposed
to the wondering crowd. And when she
slid into her lofty seat he tucked
the swaying and recreant garments about
her shoes into exactly thsir proper position. A
young lady was all ready to follow She took
her skirrs in hoIh hands. woman does when